An Alternate Reunion- Another Malec Story?
by TruthSeeker25
Summary: Alec has struggled with the loss of Magnus, losing his heart had been one of the hardest things he'd done. But would that wound evenutally cause him to lose his soul?
1. Chapter 1: The Separation

""I've getting Magnus"

Alec could barely focus on Jace's worried face as it hovered above him, desperately begging his older brother to hold on, but the mention of his former heart's name sent of bolt of fear lancing through him, clearing his head. He managed to cough as he lurched upward, knocking Jace back on his knees.

""Ddd…" he stuttered, rasping breaths making it difficult to form the words. "Dddon… get…Mmmgnsss. Dddnt… Mggnss." He fell back to the dirty ground in the middle of Central Park, exhausted, left hand trembling within the blond's firm grip.

""Alec, stop, you're okay", Jace tried to soothe him. "You're going to be fine, but we need a warlock for this. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but Magnus is the best in the- Hey! Whoa, stop," he exclaimed as Alec tried to move away, groaning as the movement wrenched at the wound deep inside. Jace grabbed his brother's shoulders and slid behind him, wrapping his strong arms around the raven-haired Nephilim, effectively stopping his tangled rush to escape. "Alec, what in the world? Izzy get over here"

Izzy quickly turned and dropped to her knees beside the pair, leaving behind the Clary and the DownWorlders. She grasped her brother's sweaty face with both hands, flinching at the rasping noises coming from his mouth and the pale, gray veins that had begun to emerge at his temples. "Alec, listen to me", she said holding his gaze, "You have to stop struggling. Alec, this is serious", she tried to center him as his fearful, unfocused gaze roamed the trees, looking for an escape. "Alec, focus on me, come on, come on, look right at me, I'm right here."

His hazel eyes slowly tracked up to her face, but the depths of the fear, the desperation that Izzy saw contained in their depths would continue to haunt her long after the night ended. "Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay," she soother, her own voice starting to tremble. "What's going on, big bro, why can't we get Magnus, Alec? Why are you so upset, we need him"? Alec jolted again at the warlock's name. "Alec, if he has his power's back, he's the only one who can help you. Alec, come on, talk to me. Alec…" Izzy placed her hand on her brother's chest and gently shook it there, growing more concerned as his listlessness increased with every passing moment.

Alec felt Izzy's approach, but couldn't find the strength to concentrate on her tired and worried voice. Only when he vaguely heard her concerned inquiries about Magnus did he begin to anxiously shift around, desperately grasping the blades of grass around him, fingers scrabbling for a tangible hold to ground himself. "Dnnt… Magnus", he managed to grind out, despite the pain.

"Alec, we have to, you'll die if we don't. He's the only one who's ever been able to mend a body-soul split before. Alec, you're already fading, and…" Izzy stopped, seeing that her brother was losing himself again. "Alec, come on, focus on me," she cried as his hooded gaze dropped even lower, his desperate search through the grass slowing. "Alec, why don't you want Magnus", she clasped his face more tightly between her small hands, whip glowing around her wrist.

Alec heard her last question and blinked tiredly. _What about Magnus/em_, he wondered. _I miss his cat eyes, his dopey smiles in the morning, when he runs his fingers through my hair while he thinks I'm sleeping.. Mmmm, sleep… So… tired…_ His thoughts wandered until once more he felt Izzy's panicked grip tighten and he forced his gaze open and upward.

"… talk to us", he heard Jace's deep tones reverberate through his back. "Come on back bro. You have to stay… There you are." Alec could feel Jace's relief through their bond as their gazes met. "Alec, you have to stay awake, bud". He thought he nodded and Jace smiled.

"Alec, we know you and Magnus ended things, but we need a warlock, one that's powerful-like him", Izzy pleaded, her dark eyes shimmering. "Alec…""Alec shifted in his adoptive brother's arms as he tried to take a deeper breath to explain. But all that came out were gasping coughs, and he felt drained as he finished. However, the eldest Lightwood was determined to protect the man he loved at all costs. He spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Magnnnsss… Can't… knn… know. My lllovvVV… cost … magic…" He forced the last word out before collapsing back limply, eyes threatening to close.

Jace caught him as Alec slumped back even further, and hastily palmed his neck for a pulse. It was there, faint, but still going. "Jace… His runes," said Izzy quietly. Jace looked down, his own Parabatai/ rune burning in his side, to see Alec's runes slowly growing dimmer, shade by shade. The gray veins had begun to run across his cheeks, skin pale under the dark clothes he always wore. Jace took in a sharp breath as he felt Alec's pain, felt his heart waver underneath his hands, threatening to slow, and to stop. "Dammit Alec! Izzy get Dot over here, we're running out of time, this pointless argument…" he trailed off as Izzy turned, heading to the knot of Shadowhunters and Downworlders gathered at the edge of the cluster of trees with their prisoners. She grabbed the arm of the dark-haired warlock, both jogging back to where Alec lay under Jace's care.

As they approached, Jace looked up from the man in his arms, the desperation in his face causing Dot's heart to lurch in sympathy. "Dot, you've gotta do something" he begged, a slight rise in his tone an indicator of how much he and his Parabatai were hurting. "You gotta save him, he doesn't have much time, the poison is spreading, it's so fast". His voice broke again as Alec's breathing hitched, three faces anxiously watching the eldest Lightwood and sighing in relief as air continued to flow in and out of the Hunter's scarred chest. Dot shrugged helplessly.

"Jace… I, I can't, I don't actually know that much about this kind of stuff. My magic has always been defense, wards, manipulating space… Sure, I can do minor cuts, bruises- why do you think Clary never got hurt growing up?" She gestured to the red head who had joined their little knot, surrendering her guard position to another Hunter to be with her family. "This? This is beyond me," she admitted, her hands gesturing at Alec, who lay still, growing paler by the minute, the dark lines on his face becoming more pronounced. "Catarina could fix this, I know it, but she's in Europe with Madzie. And Lorenzo- well, we all saw what happened with Magnus when… What?" She stopped as the younger Lightwood siblings hushed her, fixing their gaze on Alec, who, despite the mention of Magnus' name, continued to lay still, his shallow breaths causing his chest to barely rise and fall. Izzy and Jace let out a sigh of relief before turning back to the warlock. "Okay, what's going on here," Dot asked suspiciously.

"There's not a lot of time to explain," replied Izzy in a whisper, "we just need to get _Magnus _here to save Alec and Alec refuses his help. They broke up a few days ago, but I know they still love each other. _Magnus_ has to help us, he's got to." Her hands shook as they clenched and unclenched nervously, helplessly. The raven-haired whip-bearer was an expert in the medical field, one of the best to have ever graced the Institute. But with this kind of demon poisoning, she was helpless. Jace nodded in agreement as he checked and re-checked his brother's pulse.

"We just need to get him here, to agree to come help Alec, no matter what happened between them. Alec wouldn't tell me what was going on, he just said that 'sometimes, life just doesn't go the way you want it to'- whatever that means, we're getting _Magnus_, he said, whispering the Asian warlocks name so as not to risk upsetting his Parabatai again. "Maybe Alec just thought that _Magnus_ needed space, or time, to deal with this whole magic thing, I don't know. I don't know. I've never, never felt that kind of sadness and frustration before, from Alec, from anyone, never. It almost felt, I don't know- not Angelic, I don't have any other way to describe it."

At this, Dot's head was spinning, trying to come up with an idea, any idea, to help the young man on the ground, struggling to stay alive. She watched for a moment as Alec slowly drew in a breath, piece by piece, his blond brother gently coaxing him to stay awake. Alec's eyes remained closed, despite Jace and Izzy's prodding, his skin growing waxy, lips turning blue as each stuttering inhale failed to deliver the oxygen he needed. In moments like this, the boys both looked younger, much younger. They needed more time to grow up, to become the men, the Shadowhunters they were destined to be. Alec needed more time with the ones he loved, the warlock he loved- "space" be damned. _Wait a minute_. Dot's eyes narrowed as an idea began to take hold. Space… Time… _That could work!_ She turned to Clary excitedly, but as Dot opened her mouth she heard a low cough and all attention quickly turned back to Alec, whose eyes had finally, blessedly re-opened- but his expression refused to track, no matter how hard Jace tried, the eldest Lightwood wouldn't respond. The body-soul split had begun.


	2. Chapter 2: The Spell

Chapter 2

"Alec… Alec, come on, this… this can't be happening…" Jace's voice trailed off brokenly as he gazed down at the nearly lifeless body in his arms, the strong Nephilim slowly becoming a soulless husk right before his eyes. Alec's empty hazel eyes roamed restlessly around the glen, settling on no one, recognizing no one. Izzy sat back on her heels beside her brothers, exhaling deeply as tears leaked out behind her tough façade, her hope fading as quickly as her brother's runes. The little group sat in stunned silence for a moment, broken only when Dot came back to herself, breaking her reverie as she moved to put her hand on Jace's shoulder.

"This isn't over, Jace, he's not finished. I can't heal him. I can't fix him- that's beyond my powers." She put up her hand to forestall Jace's protests as he looked up, tears of frustration running down his cheeks. Focusing Jace's attention back on Alec, his shallow breaths echoing in the glade, she continued, "But I can buy him some time. Time enough to get Magnus and bring him back here. That stubborn warlock and I have been friends for a long time- sometimes I think it's been too long. But in all that time, I've learned a few things about the person behind the name "Magnus Bane". I know that behind that flamboyant façade, he has the most genuine heart I could possibly imagine. I know that he wears that make-up the way you Shadowhunters wear your gear- it's his armor. And I do know that he cares, sometimes too deeply. You and he have that in common," she said with a small laugh, sobering as she looked down at Alec. "And I do know that he loves this one- in a way I've never seen him love before. That's why he isn't here right now- he loves deeply and he hurts deeply too. But he will come, I promise you. He will come if I have to make him- if I have to drag that ridiculously clad warlock here myself." As she finished, she began to rub her hands together, a hunter-green glow beginning to emanate between her palms. "But first, we have to give him some time to remember why he loves Alec so very, very much."

Izzy looked at her, puzzled. "What exactly are you doing, I thought you said you couldn't heal him, what can you do to stop the separation?"

"I'm not stopping the separation," replied the warlock, "I'm stopping time- for those two, anyway." She indicated the two Parabatai. "Clary, I'm going need your help with this," she said as she beckoned the fiery red-head over. Clary stepped up beside Jace, placing her thin hand on his shoulder, her expression calm as she questioned the warlock.

"What do you need?"

The warlock grinned, determination set across her face. "I need you to create a binding rune, one powerful enough to bind Jace to space and time."

The others looked stunned for a minute, questions sprouting across their faces, but before a single one could get out, Alec coughed harshly again and began to shake in his brother's arms. Weird, guttural noises began to emanate from between his lips as he tried to breathe, his runes continuing to fail. Jace tried to activate his _iratze_ rune, his normally calm hands shaking, but it was too far gone to take. Jace groaned in frustration.

"Dot, I don't care what you have to do, just do it. Whatever I have to do, it doesn't matter. Just get Magnus here," he exclaimed as the elder Lightwood's shaking slowly came to a stop. They all waited for a moment, breathless, until the boy's own lungs began again to slowly, slightly, bring in the air they needed. Jace looked up, once again, into the warlock's damp face. "Please, just do it".

For a moment, Dot hesitated, very real fear crossing her face, before she set herself again and began sending her magic around the two brothers. "Okay, I'm creating a space around the both of you, slowing time down within it to only a fraction of the pace of the rest of the world. This will slow the poison down, each second taking longer than the one before it."

"To the rest of us, it will appear as though you are frozen. But inside this space, everything will appear normal, to you and to Alec. But I can't maintain the spell, not from the distance I'll be at, trying to persuade Magnus. Jace, that's where you come in. With your angel energy, you can sustain the space around the two of you. That purity will also help reverse the damage that's been done- BUT only temporarily", she warned, seeing the blond's face grow hopeful for only a second, before her words caused his usual mask of indifference to fall back in place. Dot ached inside, hating to be the one to destroy the light inside this man, this one who had gone through so much already. To lose his brother, his Parabatai… She wouldn't let that happen.

Shaking herself, she continued, saying, "it might seem as though he's doing better, but it will only last as long as the space does. When it fails, so will Alec, the full effects of the separation happening at once, instead of their usual slower progression. That failure also depends on you, Jace. You're his Parabatai, and that connection, and your strength, are what will sustain the bond and sustain Alec. When your strength runs out, the spell will end and Alec will not have much time left before the separation is complete and he is lost, his soul adrift from his physical form."

As Dot continued the spell, she saw Jace set himself, gripping his brother tighter in his arms before looking back to her. "I understand," he said. "I won't fail, I can't fail." His face pleaded with her to believe him, to understand that he would do anything for the raven-haired boy in his arms. Dot nodded sadly.

"Unfortunately, Jace, it's not up to you, your strength can only last so long. When the time comes, if I'm not back yet with Magnus, you will have to let go." Jace's face grew belligerent and he opened his mouth to argue before Izzy, who had held her sharp tongue until this point, cut in.

"Jace, stop, Dot's right," She cried, her voice strained from holding back the tears for so long. "I… I can't… I can't lose two brothers tonight, I can't. And I know Alec wouldn't want you to sacrifice yourself for him, not like this. All he's ever tried to do was protect us, to protect you- why do you think he stepped in front of that dart, taking the poison for you? Dot will be back, I choose to believe that- No, I have to believe that. But… But I can't afford to lose you too. Let Dot protect you, please Jace."

Jace swallowed, before setting his face and nodding silently. Izzy smiled grimly before turning back to Dot, who had finished the small dome around the two boys while the siblings had argued. Dot nodded and began instructing Clary in exactly what she wanted. The slim girl closed her eyes, trying to picture the new rune, before slowly beginning to draw on the surface of the dome.

Once it was complete, Jace felt a sudden sharp pull on his strength rune, before it slowly drew back to a deeper ache. He looked questioningly back up to Dot, who gave him a small smile of encouragement.

"That's the spell working, it is powering itself off you. Slowly at first, but as you grow more and more tired, the spell will drain faster, trying to sustain itself. But this should buy us some time, and I will bring Magnus back in time, I promise." She blew out a deep breath and drew up her still-glowing palms to finish the spell when Izzy halted her.

The Shadowhunter stepped through the sphere, briefly kissed each of her brothers on the forehead, pausing briefly with Alec, breathing in his scent. Izzy stepped back out and glanced at Dot, letting her continue.

Dot looked at the boys, two total opposites, yet the bond between the Parabatai more perfect than any she had ever encountered before. The warrior, his face set like stone, and the archer, gasping desperately, muscles shaking, his dull eyes never settling. Dot noticed a small white glow beginning around his right ankle, the cracks between his body and soul beginning to noticeably widen. Her gaze on Alec's leg drew Jace's as well, horror spreading across his face.

But before he could react further, Dot finished the spell.


	3. Chapter 3: the Pondering

Chapter 3

Dot let her arms fall wearily to her sides, blinking owlishly as the golden edged sphere in front of her slowly faded, leaving two immovable figures in front of them. The little group stood as frozen as the Parabatai, until Izzy sobbed quietly and started to stumble towards where her brothers lay in the clearing, hand outstretched. Dot swallowed, and shook her head, halting the raven-haired beauty's progress.

"Don't… Don't touch it… She shook her head again, trying to clear the cobwebs from the strength she had used to move space and halt time. Clary rushed to her, tucking into her right side and wrapping her heavy arm around her pale, slim shoulders. Dot took a deep breath before continuing.

"Don't touch it. I don't… I don't know what will happen…" She swallowed again. "I don't know what will happen if you touch it. I've never done something like this before."

Izzy nodded, reluctantly, before dropping her hand and stepping back to where the two women stood. Clary gave her a small smile before turning to look back at her warlock friend with concern. "Dot, are you going to be okay?"

"Dot nodded, before straightening up and shrugging off the red-head's grip. "I'll be fine. So will they. I'll make sure of it. I've got to get to Magnus." She started off, before stumbling and dropping to one knee with a soft cry.

Clary shook her head, before walking back to her friend and helping her back to her feet. "Dot, I'm coming with you to Magnus' apartment. I know he doesn't really want to see any of us Shadowhunters right now," she said quickly, forestalling the warlock's protest, "but you can't get there like this. That spell took a lot out of you, and Magnus is my friend too. We'll both convince him."/

"Dot looked at her hesitantly, before nodding her consent. Together they stood up, waiting for warlock to get her bearings, before turning to the others."Izzy, stay here and keep an eye on the boys. I know you wouldn't want to be anywhere else, and we can't risk anything unraveling this spell. Even though this glen is sacred to the Fey, making it off limits to most Mundanes, there are some DownWorlders who will risk trespassing- especially if they knew that Jace and Alec were here. Although they've both done a great deal towards repairing the damage of the past, there are still plenty of people who would happily see them ended."

Izzy nodded, gripping the handle of her Seraph blade tighter, her whip glinting in the fading light where it sat curled around her wrist. "Nothing is going to get to my family. I swear by the Angel- the Accords be damned." She turned quickly to the remaining Shadowhunters, instructing them to take the prisoners back to the Silent Brothers. There, they would be able to pick them apart and try to find a cure, to reverse the effects of the injection that Alec, and several others, had received.

Dot nodded, satisfied, before turning back to the motionless boys in the cove, her eyes filling up. She took a steadying breath and looked at Clary, whose own tear-filled eyes were trained on the golden-haired Nephilim who had captured her heart from the very beginning. Feeling Dot's gaze on her, she turned away and steadied her warlock friend as they started to head out of the glade./

"We're going to need a ride, I can't get a portal like Magnus's, and with his wards, it wouldn't do much good anyway. With the way that New York cabbies drive, it's probably for the best anyway."

Clary managed to laugh, a small, watery sound, as she wiped her eyes on her leather jacket- the same jacket that Jace had given her their last Christmas together. She cast one last look back, but the Faerie's glamour had hidden their sacred cove from site. She waved her hand to flag a cab and as the yellow Crown Victoria pulled to the curb, Dot pulled out her phone and speed dialed a number.

Clary looked on questioningly, as Dot smiled grimly, saying, "I'm calling the back-up."/

++++++++++++++MMMMMMMMMM++++++++++++++++

Magnus sat and stared into the bottom of his glass, hoping to drown away the feelings of emptiness that had taken up ever since his magic had returned. _Funny,_ he thought, _the thing I wanted most…_ He snapped his fingers, summoning a blue flame, studying it as the pale light reflecting in his un-glamoured cat eyes.

_How I wish I could trade it for just one more shot, one more chance, with Alec. My Angel._ He swallowed, lest the sob that was building inside burst forth into the ugly, wet heaves he had come to know like an old friend. Flicking his other hand, he disappeared any traces of grief from his face and took a swallow of his drink, grimacing at the bitter flavor. _I've made a mess of everything- how could I fall so deeply for someone again, just to lose them. I've often longed for the mortal life, and when it's offered to me, along with the chance to spend my days with the one my soul loves, I lose my mind. I just… I just couldn't imagine that anyone could love me- just Magnus. Even my own mother couldn't love me. How was I supposed to know that Alec could do the impossible?_

Magnus gripped his glass tighter as a swell of memories assaulted him, each one as vivid as the moment it had happened- Alec saving him, casually flipping the blade over and over in his hand as he stood in his club, wide-eyed with shock at the gorgeous, dark specimen in front of him. Alec sighing in relief after their intense kiss at the non-wedding, relaxing into Magnus' grip, the tension bleeding out of him for only a moment, but one that Magnus would never forget. No one had ever trusted him that much, to cling to him like an island in the storm of Shadowhunters around them. Alec laying limp on the roof of his apartment building, hands splayed down at his sides, unresponsive to Magnus' touch- and when he finally had awoken, the genuine confusion and fear in his face as he searched the rooftop with his gaze, only settling once he knew that Magnus was there, that Magnus was safe.

Magnus pressed his palms to the sides of his head, gripping tightly, trying to halt the flow of the tide, trying to stop the Nile from flowing. Jem had warned him, his father had stopped him, claiming that the memories were what made him- but the pain cut so deep, piercing down through the darkest parts of his soul, feeding his demon core. He could feel the bitterness spreading inside- bitterness with his father, with the DownWorld, with love… but never bitterness with Alec. I _lost Alec, _I _let him go. I should've forced him to stay, forced him to tell me what was really going on. From one night to the next… How could I have lost him in such a short amount of time- I should've proven to Alec that my spark, what he fell in love with, is still there. That spark- it's still there. Isn't it?_

He looked down into his glass again, swirling the brown liquid and wishing it were something alcoholic, something to drown his sorrows in, that could blur the lines between his grief, his distrust of his father, and his confusion about Alec. But ever since that night, when he had come home so drunk, he hadn't touched alcohol. All he could remember from that night was Alec's devastated expression. When Magnus had wandered into the kitchen the next day, seeing the remains of a fantastic dinner in the trash, in the sink, and no Alec, Magnus knew he had cut his lover deeply. Disbelief, frustration, and sorrow- Magnus couldn't shake the memory of the emotions in those hazel eyes, as though someone had decided to chisel it onto the surface of his thoughts until it pervaded every moment, every waking eon of time and every sleeping second.

Coffee kept him awake, kept him vigilant around his father, and whenever he got too sick of the taste, he drowned himself with water, until he could stand it again. Whenever he tried to dip into the river of sleep, all he could see was Alec's lost hazel eyes as they stared into his own. As their gazes met, he knew that this man he had decided to trust, who he had decided to open the doors to, and who had ripped the fabric of his soul into tatters, had changed him down into the very center of his being, a place he had closed the doors, long ago. Magnus had forgotten what love meant when his first love, the first one who teaches all beings what love is rejected him. Alec had begun to undo those dark chains around his soul- until he stopped. Magnus couldn't help but wonder who had put him up to it- who could so convince Alec that their love was meaningless, that Magnus' light was gone without his magic. Alec meant _everything_, Alec was his heart.

It was Alec himself who had said that the magic didn't matter, just Magnus. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. Alec had lit a fire within him, a heavenly fire, it seemed at times. When Alec smiled sleepily at him in the mornings, when he ran his fingers through Magnus' unkempt hair, when he subconsciously reached to maintain physical contact with Magnus at all times- and not in a jealous manner, as Camille might have done. It was Alec's way of letting him know that he was there, that Alec loved him, even when he couldn't say the words aloud.

Magnus shivered, the dark, cold air in his loft surrounding him with feelings of dread and contempt- the primary emotions that Asmodeus felt towards the world that Magnus called home. After sending tendrils of magic throughout the apartment to assure himself that Asmodeus had indeed left, Magnus placed his glass on the floor and leaned back into the chair, simultaneously sinking deep into its cashmere folds and into his memories of his dark-haired Shadowhunter, the pain swallowing him as he folded into the darkness of his own soul.


	4. Chapter 4: the Rescue

Chapter 4

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"Dot and Clary stood nervously at the base of Magnus apartment building, its dark interior remaining solidly unwelcoming despite their insistent ringing. Dot stood on her own, arms folded across her chest, having recovered from her extreme use of magic as she and Clary had journeyed the thirty-something minutes it had taken to get to Magnus'. Clary was beginning to pace nervously, shaking her head in confusion, her worry for Jace and Alec growing with each passing moment. She had a little more understanding of what the spell entailed, as she had tied it to Jace, and that knowledge made her concern grow for the two Shadowhunters tucked into the glen.

"Maybe Magnus isn't home," she offered at Dot's anxious look, "maybe he finally decided to leave, maybe a customer called him away?"

Dot shook her head, her sad gesture striking Clary deeply, as she returned to her nervous pacing. "Magnus hasn't loved in a long time, Clary. There's no way he's back to his normal self after this, not yet. Maybe not for centuries. He's up there, I can feel him. He feels different though, lost somehow, darker, colder." She stared at the dark windows of the loft, her soul growing tired at the thought of Magnus tucked away behind their cold frames. "I'm scared for him," she added softly, so softly that Clary might have missed it had she not been watching her friend's face. They looked at each other for a moment, dismay and fear on both of their faces, before the sound of footsteps behind them caused them both to whirl, coming face to face with a flustered, blue-skinned woman carrying a dark-haired little girl in her arms.

"Catarina" Clary cried, rushing up to the woman, hugging her tightly, before turning to the little one who stared indignantly at coming in second. "Madzie, oh, Madzie", she said softly, tears coming to her eyes at the sight of the little girl much loved by the Shadowhunter and the Magician. She clutched at the little warlock, who seemed to understand that there was something serious taking place. Madzie put her little hands on Clary's cheeks and sent comforting rays of warmth through her hands into Clary's mind, comforting and strengthening her, lifting her soul up with just a little bit of hope.

Clary smiled as she opened her eyes, absent-mindedly wiping away tears as she laughed quietly. "Whoever said that Warlocks are creatures of darkness have never met you, Madzie," she declared, warmly embracing the little girl again. "I suppose this is your back-up", she questioningly asked as she picked Madzie up and turned to face Dot and Catarina, who stood arm in arm.

Dot smiled softly, looking at the blue-skinned warlock at her side. "Indeed, I couldn't think of anyone else who has known Magnus longer, or who is more stubborn than he is. And no one, not even Magnus in this state, could resist Madzie, once she has her mind set on something." The three adults shared a knowing smile before Catarina stepped forward to ring Magnus' buzzer another time. After a few seconds, she looked back at the other two, who shook their heads quietly at her unspoken question.

Cat let out a frustrated breath before clasping her hands together and beginning to ferociously rub them together, sparking purple magic between them. Clary watched as Catarina spoke quietly to Madzie, who nodded and began to direct her own magic towards Magnus' apartment.

"I'm having Madzie check Magnus' wards for any weaknesses or traps. With Asmodeus back, we don't know exactly what changes have been made to Magnus' wards, and trying to tamper with them without checking is very much like running blind. As soon as Madzie lets me know what she's found, I'll open a portal through and get us to Magnus."

Dot and Clary nodded, standing in awe of the two warlocks at work. After several moments, and several petulant frowns on Madzie's part as she moved her hands in a tearing motion, Madzie gave Catarina a nod. As Cat began to open the portal, Dot smiled approvingly.

"That is one powerful warlock child," she commented to Clary as Madzie came back towards them and stood, waiting, for Catarina's portal to stabilize. "You couldn't see any of this, but this girl just rent her way through Magnus' wards, and some pitfalls set by Asmodeus, a greater demon, no less. And yet here she stands, like she's done nothing. It would've taken me an incredible amount of strength to try and repeat what she's done. And I bet you, neither Magnus or Asmodeus are even aware of the change." Dot leaned down to give Madzie a hug, as Clary looked on in amazement. Catarina joined them and, holding hands, they stepped through into Magnus' flat.

Clary had the brief sensation of passing through clouds of water, ice, and fire, before the little group stepped out into the frigid space that Magnus called home.

"By the Angel, it's freezing in here. What in the world," muttered Clary. "How does Magnus stand this."

"It's not Magnus' doing," replied Catarina, who had begun to slowly move into the flat. "Demons, when they get out into the human world, are finally out of the terrible heat they live in. They immediately try to cool down and live in an environment that suits them. That's why you see so many demons living in crypts, in tombs, underground, etc. It's also why you get a chill down your spine every time they try to creep up on you. The hot environment they live in normally is a part of their punishment. Magnus would normally never allow this to happen, he loves his home. Oh, Magnus." As Cat spoke, her breath showed in small puffs of moist air, desperately trying to warm up the area around her.

The little group wandered further into the apartment, feeling a bit as though they were invading enemy territory. It was only as they wandered into Magnus' living room that Dot gave a cry, running to the chairs arranged by the large picture windows along the wall.

"Magnus!" She called as knelt in front of one of the chairs, her facing showing her concern as she grasped Magnus' wrist, feeling for a pulse. She couldn't feel anything under her grasp, but Catarina gently edged her out of the way, and palmed Magnus neck, holding her fingers in place for longer than Dot could stand. "Well…", she questioned. "Is he alive?"

Cat nodded as she slowly stood back up. "Magnus is alive, he's put himself into a memory state. That, combined with the coldness in the apartment, has lowered his body temperature. We've got to get him out of this, delicately, if we're going to save Alec." Catarina looked around the apartment for a moment, taking in all that needed to be done to revive Magnus.

Clary couldn't take her eyes off of Magnus. He was so, so still, his raven hair falling limply across his forehead, un-styled. The darkness of his hair set off the paleness of his skin, unusual for the darker-skinned man. A blue tinge had begun to cover his lips, which, despite his rumpled appearance, were curled up in a small smile. Clary wondered what Magnus was thinking about, what could have set off this memory state and yet left him so happy. She remained where she was, gazing on Magnus' countenance, until Cat began to speak again, startling Clary out of her reverie.

Cat was giving instructions to the other two warlocks, her face set in determination to bring Magnus around. "Dot, you focus on warming this place up, bring the flat back to Magnus' normal. You've spent the most time in this version of his home, make everything as normal as possible."

Dot nodded, and summoning her magic, she began to return the apartment to Magnus' home. Cat then turned to the little warlock standing at Clary's side.

"Madzie", she said softly, "I need you to bring Magnus back. Gently get inside his mind, figure out where he's at, and guide him to a place, to a memory, that you are in. Once he's there, we can safely wake him out of the memory state without disturbing his mind too greatly. But we have to wait until his body is also ready for him. Do you understand?"

Madzie nodded quickly and walked over to Magnus. She stopped and stared at Magnus for a moment as Cat began the process of warming Magnus' body. Madzie put both of her palms on the sides of Magnus' head and closed her eyes, delving into the vast cavernous space that was Magnus Bane.

++++++++++++++++++MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM+++++++++++++++++

Magnus was strolling down the sidewalk of New York City with Alec by his side. They had just placed a locket together onto that fence piece, and Magnus' heart was soaring. No one had ever been that sweet to him before, openly declaring that they were one with him, with Magnus Bane. Though their names weren't on the lock, Magnus knew that the incantation he had set upon it would always remind the world that their love existed, that they existed, and that they were one soul. Magnus and Alec were walking hand-in-hand, un-glamoured, through times square, one of the busiest places in the world, and he couldn't be happier. Alec had come such a long way, announcing to all that he cared about that he loved Magnus, and now he was announcing it to the world. Not in any conspicuous way, but just being there together was enough for Magnus. He was content. And he and Alec were supposed to pick up Madzie later…

_Pick up Madzie later? Wait, what? Alec and I have dinner plans over on Broad… With Madzie?_

Magnus was confused, he thought that Alec had gotten them reservations in that restaurant they both liked, but that it was just the two of them. They were coming up on an important day, with everything in the Institute and the DownWorld under control. For once.

Magnus turned to ask Alec about their plans when his Nephilim looked at him, smiling, and suddenly Magnus couldn't think of his question. Alec leaned over and gave him the gentlest of kisses before holding his face against Magnus's for a moment. Magnus closed his eyes, breathing in Alec's sweet scent as they stood there, two souls lost in crowded places, but exactly where they should be.

Alec leaned back, smiling again at Magnus, before taking a deep breath, saying "are you ready Magnus?"

"Ready for what," replied Magnus dreamily.

"To pick up Madzie?"

Magnus shook his head, trying to clear it of the emotions he had been enveloped by only a moment before. "Were we picking her up," he questioned, desperate to return to what they had been doing before, wanting to keep his Nephilim to himself.

"I sure hope so," said Alec, his eyes twinkling. "Cause here they come!" He laughed as Magnus looked up. Sure enough, their favorite little warlock was running towards them, arms outstretched towards Alec, who swooped her up with a loud enough shout that the Mundanes passing by spared enough effort to give them a glance.

Watching from the side, Magnus felt his heart jolt a little at the site. He and Alec had never talked about having a family together- they hadn't been together all that long and with everything going on, they all tended to live more in the present than the future. But as he watched the Nephilim and the Warlock interact, Magnus couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he and Alec could be fathers together.

Magnus could've watched this scene for forever, but even as he gazed on, a haze filled his vision. Like a glass plate, covering the scene in front of him and projecting a new sight out in his eyes. Far ahead, he could see two dark figures laughing as they suddenly were drenched n a downpour, then proceeding to kiss through the rain, the light from the screens in Times Square highlighting their tall, lean frames. As they pulled apart, the taller of the two figures reached out and pulled down the hood of the other- revealing two striking cat eyes and spiked hair that was quickly drenched.

Magnus lurched at the sight of himself, turning back to the others. "Is no one seeing this," he questioned? But even as he spoke the words, he could see that the others hadn't heard him. It was as if they were no longer even in the same space as himself. Magnus stumbled back, flicking his magic into being, when he caught Madzie's eyes.

The young warlock gazed at him, conscious of his dismayed voice and very real confusion. Magnus couldn't help but be a little afraid as she stepped closer, her arms outstretched. _This is like the plotline of every horror movie ever written_, he thought taking a step back. But even as she stepped closer, he could feel her presence, her warmth, her love, her openness.- it was Madzie.

"Please", she whispered at him, holding out her arms, waiting for Magnus to pick her up, as he normally did.

"Chickadee?"

She nodded, stubbornly keeping her arms up. Magnus sighed and lifted her. Once she was settled in his arms, she held his face between her hands and stared into his cat eyes, her gills opening briefly, and then there was nothing...

...Until he heard the very urgent and annoyed voice of Catarina call out, "Oh thank heaven."


	5. Chapter 5: the Remembering

Chapter 5

Jace opened tired eyes, sighing deeply as he gazed once again around the little dome surrounding himself and his Parabatai- not really seeing it, but looking all the same. To the blond Shadowhunter, the world outside was a blur, like static on the Mundane TV sets he'd seen in store windows. In this shelter, there existed only the two men, their shared soul struggling to stay intact as Jace felt Alec's half tugging, pulling at his own, irresistibly being driven by the poison to flee, to run from the demonic. _Now I know how the demons on the other end of Izzy's whip must feel as they try to get away. It's like a noose, growing impossibly tighter, before the connection is severed completely._

Jace had already checked his Parabatai rune several times, it's faded presence a mirror image of Alec's. As each long moment passed, Jace wondered how long it had been since the spell had been cast, since he'd taken on the challenge- since he'd agreed to be his brother's lifeline and his strength when he had none for himself.

He yawned, then shook himself, straightening out of the hunched over position he'd drifted into and re-settling Alec into his grip, the latter failing to move or to acknowledge the movement at all. Jace looked down at the man in his arms, praying to every Angel whose name he knew, that once again they'd spare Alec. It seemed that he'd asked that a lot in past couple of years. Certainly now, more than ever since he'd arrived in New York, he and Alec had been in some rough places and had managed to come out the other side. _Still, _Jace had to wonder, _ I hope their isn't a limit to how far the Angels are willing to go for one of their children._

It hadn't been too long ago that Jace had managed to free himself from the Owl, gaining back his control but only vestiges of his sanity, as he ran up to Alec and Magnus lying on the cold cement, the arrow that _his_ hands had driven, slowly but surely, into the raven-haired archer's chest wavering as Alec struggled to breathe around it. And when he'd returned to the Institute, his heart clenched as he sat beside his Parabatai, who had fought for each breath, fought to stop the other lung from collapsing, until Catarina had arrived at Magnus' request. Jace shuddered at the memory of Alec as he lurched, shaking from the blue magic seeping into his body, shaking as he tried to break free from Jace and Magnus' tight grip. His ragged coughs and moans had cut into Jace's very soul, it's roughly torn edges still in shock from their abrupt separation from the Owl. _This time_, thought Jace, _this time these hands will save him_.

He shook Alec gently, sighing once again as his older brother failed to open his eyes, to move, or to somehow acknowledge that he was still there, that the poison hadn't truly separated them yet. His shallow breaths rasped within the small space, each one grating on Jace's nerves, stringing them tighter with every second that passed. The day had already been long when Jace had, without hesitation, agreed to Dot's plan. The Lightwood's had been up at the crack of down to train, trying to catch a break to focus and collect themselves in between the attacks from the recent rise in demonic activity. While Jace had understood Alec's logic in getting them up that early, to hone their edges, especially after their last mission almost went south, he still thought that, perhaps, a little more sleep might've been a better idea. They were all so tired, so worn down, like the edge of a blade that had been used too often without a visit to a swordsmith.

But Alec seemed unperturbed by the fatigue. He'd dived into the training with a ferocity that had left even emotionally cloistered Jace with questions. He'd met Izzy's eyes over Alec's shoulder as they had locked swords and met their concerned look with his own. He'd swept Alec's sword out from their joined position and had taken a good long look at his Parabatai.

Alec's eyes were shadowed, his skin pulled tight over his cheekbones, his clothes rumpled and his face grim. If Jace hadn't known him better, he would've assumed that the stress and frustration that came with running the Institute were at fault for Alec's condition- not to mention that demons were creating mayhem almost every night, and almost every night they were losing a fellow Nephilim- whether to injury or to death, their numbers were dwindling fast. But Jace did know his brother, and he'd felt through that bond that this was personal for Alec. Something was very, very wrong with Alec, deep inside, and he was retreating, withdrawing into the old Alec that Jace had first known. Jace had met Izzy's gaze again and nodded slightly. He saw it too, and he was damn sure going to figure out what in Raziel's name was going on with his Parabatai.

The training session had ended, with Jace letting an exhausted Alec sweep his blade from his hand and onto the training room floor by Izzy's feet. The small victory hadn't appeared to even register with the archer as he'd picked up his bow and quiver and headed out through the door, pausing only long enough to check in with another Shadowhunter in gear, before continuing his clipped walk away from his siblings. Jace had been willing to bet that Alec was headed up to roof to blow off some steam and had picked up his jacket and blades to follow, when he'd felt Izzy's cool hand on his arm, staying his determination.

"Let him go," she said quietly, only loud enough for him to hear, not the rest of the Shadowhunters who had merged onto the floor in fighting forms of their own. She'd drawn him over to a quiet, dark corned and pushed him onto the carved wooden bench that buttressed the bottom of the wall. Jace felt the wood dig into the back's of his knees as he tried to protest.

"Izzy, come on! Something's up, and it's not just this demonic crap. Something is very wrong with my Parabatai, your BROTHER- we've got to…" He stopped as Izzy held up a hand to silence him, his voice trailing off into stubborn silence.

"I know, Jace, I see it too. I know. But think for a second, we need to figure out what to say before we just get up there with him and confront him about whatever's going on. I've never, ever seen Alec like this before, but we both know how Alec responds to anything that causes him pain- he doesn't talk about himself, he just draws in and goes on, thinking only about the Institute. At least…" she paused for a second, before understanding gently crossed her face. "At least, that's how he was before Magnus came along. Jace, you don't think something happened between the two of them, do you?" she asked. "Magnus is the only one Alec's ever loved before. Truly loved," she said quickly, as Jace opened his mouth to remind her that Alec had, in fact, confessed some pretty deep feelings towards his own person not too long ago.

Jace closed his mouth and listened as Izzy continued on."If Magnus has had enough power in Alec's life to make him come out of his shell, it has to be Magnus that has caused Alec to fall back into it. He looks like death, if death could carry Seraph blades.

Jace met her upset glance with a grim look, saying "I don't know, Izzy, but I'm about to find out. That damn warlock promised me he'd never hurt Alec, and by the Angel, if this is his doing, I'll send him to Edom so fast it'll make his head spin."

They'd headed up to the roof together, to find Alec and figure out what was happening, but the eldest Lightwood was nowhere to be seen. Jace and Izzy had spent the next three hours scouring the Institute for him, their frustration and desperation growing as valuable time passed. It had begun to seem as though Alec was actually missing when the alarms had blared and upon their skidding entry into the Institute's foyer, along with the rest of the Nephilim, sure enough, their gracious leader and ragged older brother was standing in front of the screens, arms wrapped around himself and jaw set as the patches of demonic red grew wider and wider.

Alec had turned upon their arrival and had met Jace's indignant gaze with a slightly guilty glance of his own, before turning to the blonde Shadowhunter to his right and giving orders. He refused to make eye contact with Jace again. Jace's golden eyes widened and his blood boiled- at least a little bit, he couldn't forget his older brother's drawn face and tired eyes that easily. The eyes are a window to the soul, they say, and in that moment, Jace had seen everything. Still, until they could talk about it, Jace could be a little angry.

"That little…" he exclaimed in a fiercely quiet voice, turning to Izzy. "That little… He KNEW, Izzy, he KNEW we were trying to find him. This damn rune- it gives me away every time. Alec's been hiding from us, Izzy. Well you know what, bro, it's not going to work. We are going to talk about what's going on, we're going to dig around inside that messed up head of yours, and we're going to straighten some things out, if I have to strap you to one of those ridiculous women-Chase-couch things and become Freud himself!" He panted, letting his shoulders ride the last waves of his frustration as Izzy regarded him with something like fondness and humor at the same time.

Jace looked at her amused gaze helplessly, confused as to why she wasn't as frustrated as he was. "What," he asked as he took a deep breath, still trying to recover from his rant.

Isabelle smiled slightly before saying "you know, Jace, it wasn't too long ago that WE had to dig around just to get to know you, even just a little bit. Heck, you wouldn't even let Alec patch you up that first night, you had to be all 'tough guy' around us. It's nice to see you on the flip side of it." She laughed quietly, the sound still a little strained as she turned her gaze upon her oldest brother. "If only it wasn't Alec trying to be all 'tough guy' on us right now."

Almost as if he could sense that he was under discussion, Alec turned and faced his siblings. Yet, instead of the guilty look that Jace expected, the expression on the eldest Lightwood's face stuck a chord of fear in both their hearts. Alec swallowed, his eyes roaming the crowd of assembled Nephilim, looking over each of them as though he wasn't sure what to say. "This…", he began, before having to take another breath, running his hands through his disheveled hair. "This isn't demonic." The crowd looked at him, confused, until he repeated himself. "This isn't demonic. This is evil itself. Someone is killing Shadowhunters, from the inside out. We don't know what, exactly, is going on, but we know that we haven't seen this before. And honestly…", he locked eyes with Jace, who could feel his Parabatai's very real shock and fear coming through the bond, "This I don't even know how to face." Alec ran another hand over his face, keeping it on his chin as he gestured to the blond Shadowhunter from before, who brought a tablet up to the center platform and swiped out, pulling a video up to the screen.

"We got this footage in, moments after the alarms went off. Here we see Ashdown, and his partner, fighting a couple of minor demons, should be no big deal for seasoned Shadowhunters. However, right… here," he paused the video, showing Ashdown's right hand stopped on his neck, his seraph blade poised to attack in the other. "At this moment, something broke through his skin, we're not sure what, but we think that's what caused… This." He fast-forwarded the video to a scene a few blocks away with Ashdown convulsing, light spreading around his form, almost cutting it in half from front to back, and a light green mist streaming from the gap the light had created. Ashdown lay still on the pavement, his partner running up and dropping to his knees at his side, when the aide paused the video again, saying "we weren't sure what had just happened until we caught sight of this." He zoomed in on the mist, still visible, and Jace heard Izzy draw in a quick breath, her face pale as the rustling noises in the room all fell silent, almost as if the horror of what they were witnessing was stealing the life from the room. For deep in the smoky green, Ashdown's face and form were visible, slowly drifting away from his still form lying in the alley.

Alec stepped back to the center of the platform, making brief eye contact with Jace and Isabelle, before gesturing for the aide to take down the images. As he did, Alec said, "someone has found a way to separate the body and soul. We don't know how, and we don't know who. What we do know is that they are working with the demon side, which makes it our job to find them and stop them. No one, _no one_ deserves that fate, to be separated from their soul by something other than death. For the Nephilim, it means we can't be taken to the City of Bones, to rest with our brothers and sisters in arms from throughout the centuries, since Jonathan Shadowhunter himself."

Alec shuffled his feet, taking a moment to collect himself from his passionate outburst, before continuing. "With that in mind, we're going hunting. EVERYONE will be in groups of 3, and NO ONE is to divide and conquer. We watch each other's backs, and we stay strong. We only know of one person who has mended a body-soul split, the warlock Magnus…" his voice wavered for a moment over the name as Jace and Izzy looked at one another, their previous concerns brought back to mind for a moment as their brother's emotions warred for control on the stage. Alec managed to quickly cover his pause with a cough, before continuing on, saying "the Warlock Magnus Bane. And then, it was only a partial split, the body and soul were still connected. And I don't know how much we can rely on Magnus for his help at the moment, he's only just had his magic returned." Alec looked at Jace and Izzy as he said this, his sadness and exhaustion on display in his hazel eyes, meeting their shocked gazes with resignation.

"We know this, though- this poison is fast acting. Between the time we saw Ashdown hit and the time his partner found him in the alley was less than an hour. If you do find yourself in a situation, get back to the institute. Hopefully, by then we'll have some warlock assistance on stand-by for emergencies. We won't lose anyone today." Alec finished his speech, giving the aide time to hand out assignments, before finding Jace and Izzy where they stood, arms crossed on the Institute floor.

"We're a three", he said simply, tiredly, as Jace clapped his hand on the archer's shoulder. The way that he was standing, Jace could've sworn that Alec winced from the weight, but then maybe it was just his imagination.

Keeping his tone light, Jace said "no kidding, next thing I know, you're going to be telling me the sky is blue or that Izzy likes Simon."

"Hey," cried Izzy, slapping Jace across the shoulder. Alec smiled briefly, and Jace caught it, glad to give his brother some light-heartedness, if only for a moment.

_If only for a moment before this next question_, he thought. "So Alec," he started, "any chance you're going to bring Magnus in on this? If he's the only one that's fixed this kind of problem before, shouldn't he be here."

Alec drew in a breath at Magnus' name, before shaking his head. "I already tried to get ahold of him, he won't answer. Dot, Clary's friend, the warlock that Valentine kept around, has agreed to come along just in case."

Alec wouldn't say any more, and at the small shake of Izzy's head, Jace had let it drop. The three siblings had headed out into the night, armed to the teeth.

It was only after their fourth fight, with Shax demons leading them into Central Park, where they'd met up with Clary, Dot, and Lester, the aide from before, that Jace had seen Alec cupping the side of his neck, his face ghostly pale.

"Jace," he whispered quietly, before sinking to his knees. "Jace, I feel… Weird."

Jace had run to his brother's side, Izzy and the others quickly following, where he'd gently peeled Alec's hand from his neck. The black track marks he'd found had made his heart grow cold.

Jace opened his eyes, shaken back from the memory at Alec's slight groan. "Alec… Alec, can you hear me?"

Alec moaned softly again, his eyes rolling beneath their lids- but there was other response. Jace sighed, wishing now that he'd made Alec tell him what was going on with Magnus, that he'd made Alec bring that damn warlock with them. Instead, they were stuck for God-only-knows how long in this spell, while trusting that Magnus would somehow agree to come and save the guy he clearly had issues with.

Jace looked down at his brother, gently sweeping his sweaty black hair out of his closed eyes, before whispering quietly, "I swear, Alec, by the Angel, if he ended things, if he hurt you…"

Jace never finished as Alec's fingers weakly gripped his own, his quiet voice stunning Jace's angry rant into silence.

"Jace… I … ended it."


	6. Chapter 6: the Revelation

Chapter 6

Clary watched with concern as Catarina gently coached Magnus out of his daze. He'd started responding to their treatment after a particularly large jolt from Madzie, which had startled them all. Even the little warlock looked concerned, but she wouldn't say what had happened during her excursion into Magnus' memory.

Catarina was perched on the end table next to Magnus' chair, her arm snaked around his shoulder and hand gripping the back of his neck to ground him. His eyes were still not tracking very well, but he had managed to acknowledge Cat a few moments previously. Clary was beginning to get antsy as they waited for the warlock to wake up. Checking her watch did little to reassure her- it had been close to an hour since they'd left Central Park, and neither she nor Dot had any idea how long the spell in the clearing would last.

Dot's concerned expression caught her eyes, her mind clearly torn, both with concern for Magnus and for the Parabatai. The warlock desperately hoped that she had been able to do enough for them to hold on. Both the warlock and the red-haired Shadowhunter were startled from their mutual concern by the voice of Magnus, softly but surely calling for them both.

The two girls looked over into the tired but clear eyes of the High Warlock of Brooklyn, recently returned to his post, but looking worse for the wear despite the reinstatement. Magnus was disheveled, to say the least, now that he had thawed enough to look less like an iceman than when they'd first arrived. His hair had none of its usual swag, his face was bare, and his clothes alternated between dull grays and blacks, like one in mourning. As for its style? It was more reminiscent of the early 2000's than Magnus would've cared to admit, had he been in his usual form.

Clary noted with some trepidation that she'd seen the haggard, haunted look that adorned Magnus's face somewhere before, and recently… She was surprised she hadn't put the two together sooner, but the red-head could've sworn that she'd seen Alec with that same deeply sorrowful expression more often than not the past few days. _Something's happened between those two_.

It wasn't a question, in Clary's mind, but a truth she wished she would've realized sooner.

Clary wasn't close with Alec, so when she'd heard Jace's words in the park, she'd been more than a little surprised, and disbelieving. But the way that Magnus looked right now, she was more than willing to accept that something was up. But what did that mean for Alec?

Magnus stretched out his hand towards Dot. She smiled softly and stepped forward to take it, grasping his ring-less hand with both of her own, desperate to know that Magnus was still Magnus.

"Dorothea," he said, knowingly giving her a wink. "Why are you, of all people, making such a fuss? Last time I checked, our situations were reversed, and I was pulling your lovely rear end out of a less-than-tactfully decorated faerie den, back in…" he paused, recollecting. "Back in Paris, I believe, 1923. Flapper fashion had made its way across the ocean, degrading the City of Lights with its risqué colors and ridiculous style. But my, didn't you look lovely, headband askew, feathers flying." He laughed, the sound a little forced, but Dot loved it anyway, grateful that Magnus still had his humor, if nothing else. He gave her another wink, before looking past her to Clary.

"Biscuit," he said quietly, nodding at her but keeping his hold on Dot. "Don't get me wrong, dearest, but whilst I normally adore your infinite questions and uncanny ability to remain positive at all times, Nephilim don't suit my particular tastes at the moment."

Clary moved to step closer, opening her mouth to respond, but Catarina quickly cut in with questions of her own./

"Magnus, where did you go? Did Asmodeus do this to you? I have never seen you _willingly_ enter a memory state before- what's going on?"/

Magnus started to reply, his regard for Catarina and her obvious concern playing at his already tattered emotions. But, unwilling to admit that he'd been mooning over his former lover _and_ risking his own life in the process in front of another_ Shadowhunter._ Instead of replying immediately he stood, shakily, and made his way over to his potions cabinet, waving off Catarina's help with one hand./

Grabbing several unmarked bottles off of the shelf, Magnus began to mix them together before taking a breath and replying.

"Asmodeus? I haven't seen my father in days, he's probably gallivanting off somewhere, enjoying his freedom, making some more unwanted children that he'll neglect one day. He may be my father, but what kind of a father wants to spend time with his child? No, indeed, Catarina, I was merely enjoying myself, reminiscing about a time when I lived a life free of… _Angelic_ influences. In fact, despite some… unwanted additions to the apartment, Asmodeus has been unusually helpful lately. He's the reason my magic has returned, and he's given some interesting advice- unwanted, and yet, not unhelpful in the current state of things." Magnus finished his unhelpfully vague speech as he completed his potion, and, grimacing at the smell, he quickly drank it down.

Shuddering a bit, he snapped his fingers, the blue flame between them burning strong and bright. He turned back to them, smile fixed, and said, "So you see, my dear Catarina, all is well. Magnus Bane is still Magnus Bane, charming and delightfully dressed, present state excluded, the magnificently magical High Warlock of Brooklyn." Magnus quickly snapped his fingers again, donning a more dashing look, before turning and picking up Madzie. Looking into her face however, Magnus was suddenly met with a vague sense of unease, that the young warlock somehow knew where he'd really been.

Turning back to Catarina, he jumped, startled by the closeness of the blue-skinned warlock, who had stepped up to him and was examining him closely. Magnus looked at her questioningly as she said,

"Asmodeus _gave _you your powers back… Just like that?" She looked at him suspiciously. "What did he ask for in return?"

"Actually, he asked for nothing. Said it was a 'fatherly gesture', of a sort. Normally, I'd be less than inclined to believe him, but you see, I'd just gotten some rather bad news and I figured I deserved a little bit of a pick-me-up."

"Uh huh," said Catarina, quietly, thinking…

Dot and Clary looked at each other, concerned, wondering where Cat was going with this. The two Parabatai in the clearing were on both of their minds and questioning Magnus about his father seemed like an odd way of re-introducing the subject of assistance to Magnus. But Madzie gave them both a look from her place in Magnus' arms, one that was somehow both concerning and reassuring at the same time.

Cat continued on- "So, you received your powers back from your father, no strings attached. And yet, as you once told me, a long time ago- I think in Peru, wasn't it, after the incident with that ridiculous parade and flying carpet? Anyway, I believe you said something along the lines of 'with a demon, there's always a price, my dear Catarina'", she said, her imitation of Magnus mockingly accurate. "'Sometimes it's your pride, sometimes it's looking like Ragnor Fell for a day. But with a greater demon, it's better to not make a deal at all, for their prices are always too high.'" She looked at him knowingly, and perhaps, a little disappointedly, as she finished.

Magnus stared at her, more than a little apprehensive about her line of questioning. After all, he'd just lost the person that meant the most to him- he already felt foolish enough, he didn't need Catarina continuing to tear at what remained of his pride./

But continue she did.

'Magnus, did it ever occur to you…" She stepped closer, causing Magnus' apprehension to rise. "Did it ever occur to you that, perhaps, someone else payed the price for your magic's return?" And not Lorenzo," she said quickly, "although, trust me on this, his pride has taken a beating. Just this morning, I spent five hours at his old apartment, turning him back into a warlock from the reptilian form he'd suddenly taken on."

Dot and Clary were shocked at this, and, looking at Magnus, it was clear from his pale expression that he hadn't expected Catarina's news and that he was clearly hoping she would stop there.

But warlocks are notoriously unlucky beings- Dot always claimed it was the universe's way of getting back at them for always trying to manipulate things their own way. And if that was the case, Magnus thought that the universe must really hate him as Cat continued.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, Alexander Lightwood willingly payed the price?" She shrugged non-committedly, but her words had a sharp edge to them, making Magnus wince. "Did it ever occur to you, oh 'magnificently magical high warlock of Brooklyn', that maybe it was a little too convenient that Asmodeus showed up when he did? How long after Alec broke your heart did it take for Asmodeus to show up, huh? And he asked for _nothing _in return for giving you back the thing you wanted most. The thing you wanted badly enough to ruin Alec's proposal and to make everyone around you miserable about."/

As she had gone on, Magnus had started to tremble angrily, his cat eyes glowing, but at her last sentence, he'd jerked his head up, stunned. "His whaaaaa… He… Alexander… He…" Magnus swallowed, breathing hard, unable to think. "Alexander… Was… Proposing?"

Madzie dropped from his arms and lightly ran over to Dot, who gathered her into her arms as she and Clary watched Magnus fall into a chair, breathing heavily.

Catarina knelt in front of him and gently placed her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. Her heart clenched at his devastated expression, but she knew she couldn't stop- not if Alec was going to have a chance. "The night you came home drunk, he was going to propose to you."

He stared at her, mouth opening and closing, trying to formulate a thought but unable to take in a breath.

"Magnus, it's been days," she continued, trying to hurry now that she had his attention and at least a little of his belief. "We've all been so worried about you. Ever since you got sick from Lorenzo's magic, I'd been trying to find another solution. But when I'd heard you'd gotten your magic back on your own, I knew something was up. It was only when Dot called me tonight that I put it all together. When I confronted an old acquaintance, who I knew used to channel Asmodeus a long, long time ago, she confessed that Asmodeus had returned after a Shadowhunter, of all people, had come to see her, I knew. Alec made a deal, Magnus, he's the only one who could, who had something that Asmodeus wanted. You."

Clary and Dot both looked at each other, understanding dawning as they realized that Alec had been trying to tell them the same thing. Magnus gaped at her, trying to deny what he was hearing, his head wanting to believe Catarina, but his heart in so much pain from Alec's words. The thought of his Angel, making _that _deal on his behalf… He wanted to believe it, Alec would do something that infuriating and his father- well, when he thought of Asmodeus, he knew it had to be true.

Magnus couldn't believe he'd been so blind, so careless. He turned his head in his hands, ruffling the black and silver spikes, and opened his mouth to reply, but as he spoke, so did Clary.

"Magnus it's true," she said quickly, assuming that Magnus was doubting Catarina, as he turned to stare at her. "By the Angel, it's true. Alec's been miserable lately, devastated. I don't know why I didn't see it before, but tonight, in the park, he- well, he was desperate to stop us from coming to get you. It was hard to understand him, he was in so much pain, but…" she didn't finish, as Magnus turned at her, grasping at her shoulders.

Stunned at himself, he let go, but, hands shaking, said, "Alexander… Why… What's happened, what's going on?"

Dot and Clary looked at each other, and as Dot began to speak, revealing, quickly the events of the previous hours, Magnus' face grew hard, his jaw set. He turned quickly from them and, gathering his strength, he began to create a portal.

As it took shape, he quickly summoned a bag full of instruments and ingredients to himself. Strapping it over his shoulder, he took Madzie's hand and felt a jolt of hope go through him. Looking down at the little warlock, he smiled, a vaguely remembered vision of her eyes and two young lovers in the rain flashing through his mind's eye.

Madzie smiled up at him and took hold of Dot's hand with her other as the five of them looked into the portal. Dot closed her eyes, thinking of the glade and its occupants, hoping that they weren't too late.

If one could've heard the prayers of another warlock that night, they would've known that they were similarly occupied, with thoughts of a raven-haired warrior and a small fire of hope for reconciliation.

They stepped through.


	7. Chapter 7: the Admission

Chapter 7:

Alec had begun to imagine that he and exhaustion were old friends. When he'd opened his eyes and seen Jace above him, he'd started to speak, but the dark rims around the golden-haired warrior's eyes were telling and he saved his breath. His brother looked as exhausted as he felt- or maybe that was just the black haze that had settled between the brothers, like the gossamer veil of a widow at her husband's grave.

But as he'd lain there, feeling safe within his Parabatai's grasp, everything had come rushing back. The bright flash of the needle as he'd turned to try to avoid it, the sharp, tiny surface digging into his skin, the shock and desperation on his sibling's faces when they realized what had happened… But the worst was the realization, as he'd crumpled to the ground, that he'd never see Magnus again- that he couldn't see Magnus again, especially not this way. Magnus would want to save him, to help him, and Alec couldn't risk that. He'd already given up so much for Magnus' happiness, he couldn't bear to take that away, just to save himself. Magnus was eternal- what did that make Alec, except a drop in the maelstrom that was Magnus Bane's life? Magnus wasn't his anymore, but that knowledge didn't lessen the deadly twin grip of love and agony that Alec felt in his soul.

He'd started to fall deeper into the fear and into the exhaustion when he'd heard Jace's low voice, a dangerous tone running through it. As he allowed the muted sounds to flood into his limited consciousness, Alec realized that he was talking about Magnus and his heart clenched. _He knows._ _God, he knows._

But as Jace's angry tirade had continued, Alec found himself wanting to defend his warlock. _Not anymore_, he reminded himself. But still, summoning the little strength that remained, he spoke, his quiet words reaching the blonde warrior before the haze descended and Alec lost himself, the tug on his soul dragging him further into its black depths./

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When Alec had first spoken, Jace had been elated, regardless of the words he'd said. But as his elation turned to confusion, their eyes had met, and the younger Parabatai froze. Black veins had spread across the archer's eyes, penetrating into his hazel orbs and emphasizing his already pale face. Alec had looked up at him, his brief moment of clarity already fading into confusion as her tried, without success, to settle his unfocused gaze on his brother.

"Jace… What… Jace, I can't- I can't fe… What…Wha… hapn..ng?" Alec's hand flopped uselessly at his side, his fingers catching on Jace's dark jeans as he tried to reach out.

With those words, Jace's felt his already tattered emotions fly into shreds. Every broken syllable had taken so much effort, leaving Alec even paler and covered in a fine sheen of perspiration. Jace shifted to one side, pulling his brother further into his grip, his pale, sweaty head now positioned on Jace's shoulder, his back to Jace's knee. Alec groaned as he was moved, grasping at the blades of grass around him, trying to ground himself.

"Jace gently gripped the side of Alec's face, tilting his head upward, trying to draw his gaze in. "Hey," he said gently, his frown growing as Alec merely blinked, eyes closing for a minute as he winced. Jace stroked his cheek softly, awkwardly, feeling helpless as his older brother struggled. "Hey…" He shook Alec's shoulder gently, relieved when his eyes opened again. "Hey… I've got you, Alec, I've got you. I'm still here, you're going to get through this."

_We're going to get through this_.

Alec managed a small smile before his expression clouded, his eyes fixed away further away. Jace followed his gaze and felt his heart clench again. The rift in his skin had grown, wrapping around most of his right calf and slowly edging its way up the outside of his thigh. The edges were dark now, the same shadowy color as the lines in his eyes. The scrabbling fingers in the grass increased their pace as Alec began to panic, trying to escape Jace's grip, trying to run form what was happening inside of him.

Jace held tighter, desperately praying as he mumbled whatever reassurances he could think of to the raven-haired warrior, hoping that one of them got through. But when the activity in his arms suddenly stopped, and the glade grew quiet, his eyes flew open and he hastily palmed his brother's neck trying to find a pulse.

"Dammit", he exclaimed, his hands shaking as he tried to remember where to put his fingers, terror banishing Izzy's medical training to the back of his mind. "Come on, come on…" He tried again, his eye straying to Alec's limp hand on the ground- he willed those fingers to move, to somehow let him know that Alec was still there.

When nothing happened, Jace became frantic, drawing out his stele to connect himself to his Parabatai, desperate to see his eyes open again. As he began to activate the rune that bound the two of them, he hesitated, Dot's anxious uncertainty at what her magic might create flashing in his exhausted mind. As his hand wavered over Alec's, Jace made his decision, highlighting the bond between them, diligently watching the elder Lightwood's face for any sign of his return to consciousness.

When Alec had gone into a coma as he searched for Jace during Valentine's war, Jace thought he'd known what fear meant. The desperation he felt to get across the city and to reach his brother in time, to stop him from slipping away had been all consuming. But this was something different. If Alec left them this time, Jace had no idea what to do to bring his soul back. Hell, he didn't even know where his soul would go when it left. It was so unnatural, this gross separation of body and soul- it was an abomination.

As moments past, Jace began to feel the strain, his strength drawn between Dot's magic and the angel's bond. He shook his head to clear it, trying to focus instead on the man in front of him, when he heard a cough and a stuttered,

"Jace… Hey."

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As the haze above him cleared and Alec caught a glimpse of Jace's shocked expression, he winced inside, bracing himself for his brother's inevitable tirade of words.

"Hey? That's the best thing you can come up with! We've been sitting here for hours, my feet are numb, and that's the first clear thing you want to say?"

Alec watched as Jace ran a shaking hand over his tired face, and again he noticed the lines of exhaustion, the bags under his eyes, the tense set of his jaw. _Just how long have we been here,_ Alec wondered. He thought to voice his confusion but sensing his exhaustion, Jace hurriedly answered his unasked questions.

"Before you ask, yes, we're still alive. Dot and Clary fashioned some kind of…" he gestured widely, trying to come up with an explanation. "Some kind of "bubble", I guess. Dot didn't know how to heal you, so she bought us some time instead- it's pretty clever, actually. I don't really understand all of it, but basically time has slowed down for us in here. Hours might have passed already, for all I know, but in here, it might be five minutes, ten minutes- I just know that it's working- slowing down time has slowed down the poison's progress. Dot even said that you might wake up, and you did! Now they just have to get Magnus back here and…"

Jace trailed off, feeling Alec tense beneath him at the mention of Magnus' name. Not again, thought Jace, fully prepared to keep his brother in place, and to force him to accept Magnus's help. But instead, after a few seconds, Alec relaxed back against Jace's knee./

"Dammit", he said quietly, as Jace's brow furrowed in concern.

"Alec, what's going on. You've been off for days; you barely eat or sleep. And Magnus hasn't been around at all- I know running an institute takes a lot, but he's always been there for you. There's something you're not telling me, I can feel it. And I'm not the only one who's noticed- Izzy's concerned too, Clary's noticed- And if Clary can get a read on you, something is very, very wrong."

Alec's jaw tightened at the mention of their sister and the fiery redhead, but gave no other indication he'd heard his Parabatai. Jace stared at him for a minute, anger growing, before he finally gave a shout, startling the elder Lightwood brother as he looked up in astonishment into the rapidly reddening face of his brother.

"Dammit, Alec, come on. This is me you're talking to here, we never keep secrets from each other, and when we have, it's never gone well. You have to talk to me. Whatever's happened, we can fix it. No one's going to hurt you if you talk about it, we're in a magic-proof bubble, by the Angel. God, will you just talk to me?... Please?"/

The last please was said so quietly that Alec wasn't certain he that the word had even been spoken. He sat so still that for a moment Jace thought his outburst had done nothing to persuade him. But then Alec began to speak- of Magnus' desperation, the deal he had made with Asmodeus, and the price he'd had to pay.

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Jace sat stunned- Alec _had_ ended it. As the archer panted from the exertion of the telling, Jace gripped him tighter, his emotions running rampant. Magnus, Asmodeus, the magic, the deal. The unfairness of it, the absurdity, after everything Alec had gone through to finally, FINALLY, gain some happiness- fury didn't even begin to describe what Jace was feeling. He seethed inside, knowing that Alec had felt the sacrifice was his only option./

Jace _knew_ what Magnus meant to Alec. He'd felt his elation, his contentment through their bond, and he'd seen first-hand the change that had come over his older brother. For Alec to give all of that up, to lose the happiness that he'd risked everything for- Jace looked down at his Parabatai, fear striking a chord in his already shaken heart- _what if Alec didn't try to dodge that needle._ And to share the story, to take on the risk of Magnus losing his magic again- it was almost as if he didn't intend to be around to suffer the consequences.

Jace tightened his grip on Alec's hand as he tried to increase the flow of energy that was passing between them through the bond, as if that strength could will his brother to fight for himself and for Magnus.

He watched as Alec opened his eyes and gave the raven-haired boy a small smile, But as he brought his gaze down to their joined hands, Alec's face distorted into a grimace, the pain of the poison flashing sharply, and his body jerking harshly as the dark lines spread further across his body.

Jace sat shocked for a moment, before trying to draw his brother closer, saying, "What the… Alec? Alec come on, please, please don't do this. Hang on, Magnus is coming, I know he's coming, just hang on a little bit longer."

Jace tried to soothe his brother, to bring him some, _any_ kind of comfort, but Alec was beyond hearing. His pupils were blown wide, their darkness only slightly deeper than the poison creeping through his body.

Alec continued to shake, his limbs moving without any control and his back arching up against Jace's chest. Jace desperately tried to cling to Alec, trying to pull him closer to himself. The blonde warrior closed his eyes, his emotions warring inside. "Come on Alec, Come on. This can't get the best of you, it can't. Not after everything, not this way."

Jace looked up, desperately hoping to peer through the haze around the brothers and see Magnus and the others on their way. What he saw made his blood run cold- the spell was failing. Only patches of haze remained, flickering in and out like an old television set. Jace's eyes widened as the realization hit. The energy that he'd channeled into Alec had been drawn from the spell, leaving it weakened.

Jace tried to sever the connection between himself and his Parabatai, but whatever was holding Alec captive had drawn Jace in as well. As the poison began to progress, and the rift in Alec's body opened wider, Jace felt his heart drop.

_We're out of time._


	8. Chapter 8: the Salvation

Chapter 8:

As the group stepped through the portal, Clary blinked, trying to let her eyes adjust to the dim interior of the park after the brightness of Magnus' apartment. As she turned to the group, she saw Magnus speaking quietly and urgently to Catarina. Dot and Clary made eye contact over Madzie's head, before the blue-skinned warlock took the child and opened up another portal. As she took Madzie through it, the pair vanishing into the golden swirl, but not before Clary caught a glimpse of an upscale living room styled with a ritzy taste that could belong to no one but Magnus Bane.

"I've sent Catarina to my townhouse in Chelsea, too prepare for our arrival," Magnus hastily explained. "She knows what Alec might need, medically speaking, and I don't trust my father enough to take my Angel back to Brooklyn. She'll be ready for us, and with Madzie around, only those of us who know about the apartment will be able to find it."

Clary and Dot nodded their understanding before the three set off at a jog across the park. The fay held dominion over the entirety of Central Park, and Magnus' portal had set them down just outside of the boundaries. As they traveled, Clary cast a quick glance at Magnus' face. Worry shown through his golden cat eyes, left unglamoured to save his magic, and determination was obvious in the lines of his face and the tension in his jaw. Magnus was still desperately in love with Alec, that much was obvious, and it was clear he was prepared to do anything to save the raven-haired Nephilim. Hope swelled in Clary's soul at the sight- between Jace's strength and Magnus magic, she knew that Alec would be okay.

But even as the thought crossed her mind, a scream pierced the night, agony rippling through it. Magnus drew up short, all color draining from his face, as the three recognized the voice inside of it- Alec. Magnus instantly started off again, his feet flying across the damp grass- but before he'd gotten far, another scream rent the night, two voices groaning instead of one.

"Jace," breathed Clary, fear striking in her heart.

A golden light exploded out from the trees ahead, where they' left the boys in the glade, and raced towards their little group. Dot stepped forward, determined, and threw up a barrier around the group. The golden glow struck the bubble, trying to force its way around and inside, but Dot maintained the shield until the light had disappeared from around them.

She slowly lowered her hands, breathing heavily from the exertion and her eyes met Clary's understanding flashing between the two. The spell had failed- somehow, their fail-safe had collapsed and the two Parabatai were on their own.

The two girls turned to look at Magnus, but the High Warlock had already vanished, his feet carrying him ever closer towards Alec. Dot and Clary sprinted after him, both dreading what they each might find in the clearing.

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As soon as the light had exploded out from the clearing, Magnus' heart had sunk, terror striking inside as he realized that Alec was now un-tethered to their world. The poison would quickly be unraveling the binding between body and soul, and if the glue completely came undone, he wasn't sure he'd be able to fix it.

Dot had lowered the shields and he was off, leaving the two girls behind, his worry for Alec overriding any restraint. Entering the glade did little for his confidence, as Izzy and the other Shadowhunters who'd remained were scattered around in varying states of consciousness. But his heart leaped at the sight of Alec and Jace in the center of the glade.

Alec lay face-up on the ground, his pupils blown wide and unseeing as their usual hazel was almost completely covered by the inky darkness. The archer's skin was deathly pale, making the runes that ran across his skin appear darker than normal, and dark spidery veins criss-crossed all across his body. The shadow of the rift had spread quickly, his body and soul separating uncontrollably now that the spell had ended. Alec's breathing was ragged as he fought to stay a part of this world, but Magnus could tell it was only a matter of seconds.

The warlock's eyes traveled down Alec's arm to where Jace had somehow managed to keep his grip on the archer's forearm. The darkness hadn't moved past the point where they were connected. Magnus knelt in front of the semiconscious blond, startled at the sight of a golden glow in his eyes.

_His angel blood is stopping the poison's progress_. But even as understanding dawned, Magnus knew it wouldn't last. Jace had already been using his reserves of strength for hours to maintain the spell and unconsciousness would soon set in for the warrior.

Magnus took a deep breath and readied his magic, clearing his mind to focus only on his power and the Nephilim who needed him. As he centered himself, he felt an unnatural calm and focus descend, his power swelling inside until he could practically feel it vibrating in each cell. Blue-ish gold energy radiated around him as he reached out his hand to gently detach the golden-haired warrior's hand from the arm of his love, his Nephilim.

As Jace's fingers left Alec's arm, he gasped and fell limply to the ground, his eyes fluttering as he tried to brace himself on the ground. Clary ran over to him, cradling his head in her hands, but Magnus barely registered either of them. His focus was solely Alexander.

Alec's breathing quickened, fingers contorting as the final separation spread around his hand, uniting the dark line around his form. Alec let out a low groan and began to convulse, a hazel fog beginning to seep out of his body. As it left his physical form, the convulsions slowed, and Alec's form began to take shape within the haze, until the two were completely separate.

Magnus waited, heart pounding and breath bated, as the separation took place, then stepped forward, determination and fiber vibrating in every cell of his being. As soon as he'd seen how far the separation had progressed, he'd known he couldn't stop it, but he'd do everything in his power to keep his Alexander here, and to return him to his physical form, whole again.

Magnus reached down and called his power to the fore as he reached out and laid hold of one of Alec's arms within the slowly drifting haze. He'd tried to avoid looking at his lover's face as it floated outside of his body, but as his fingers drew near he couldn't resist looking. Alec's eyes were closed, his dark lashes resting gently on his pale cheeks. The dark veins still stood out starkly against his pale skin, and Magnus' heart lurched at how drawn and weak his Shadowhunter appeared. But he had no more time for recollection as his fingers made contact and the entirety of Alexander Gideon Lightwood entered the mind of the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

Magnus stiffened, his power first trying to fight against the intrusion, before he settled his breathing down and surrounded his own personality with a soft shield. He could maintain his sanity and try to hold onto Alexander. But as he sifted through their combined entities, Alexander's emotions drew him up short. Fear and frustration were woven through the hunter's mind, but what had stopped Magnus short was the deep, throbbing pulse of Alexander's yearning for himself. Magnus pushed everything else to the side, Alexander's affection front and center in their combined consciousness- _how could this be. After everything I've done, Alexander… He… I didn't think it was possible for anyone to love me, let alone long for me, yearn to be with me, to sacrifice himself for me_.

Magnus lifted the latch of the gate around his personality and let his consciousness reach out towards Alec, towards the love he'd hoped for and let the two meld together. The warlock could feel the darkness that his father had tainted him with burn away in the presence of Alexander's irrefutable affection, and Magnus released a deep breath. _He loves me._ Magnus took hold of Alexander's face in his mind, thumbs gently caressing his lover's lax face before he tilted it towards his own, their foreheads pressed together as Magnus tried to share his own love and relief with the one whose soul he treasured. They stayed that way for several minutes before Magnus tilted his head up, pressing a soft kiss to the Nephilim's forehead.

_I will bring you back, my love. I swear, you'll come back to us.. to all of us._ _Just hold on._

Taking on more glance before fixing Alexander's image in his mind, Magnus closed his eyes once more- and returned to himself, the darkness of the glade a shock after the brightness of the Lightwood's soul.

A single tear ran down Magnus' face, before striking the cool skin of his lover's pale form on the damp ground. _You live up to your name, my dear Alexander. Hold on, my love, hold on._

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Jace had recovered enough to stand with Izzy and Clary, his sister and his heart's love, the three of them waiting anxiously for Magnus to speak. They'd watched as Magnus had reached out towards Alec's soul, his whole being lit with a blue fire. Dot had tried to run towards Magnus, her cry loud in the of the clearing, but she was stopped by Izzy.

"You don't understand," cried Dot, "touching a soul almost always means death or insanity. When two beings combine, both can't survive. For a DownWorlder to touch and Angelic soul- especially a Downworlder with Asmodeus for a Father? Magnus doesn't have a chance! Let me go!"

But Izzy's grip was unrelenting, as Jace shakily stood and made his way over to where they stood. "Dot, their souls have already touched. I've never seen Alec as happy as he is with Magnus. Their connection is beyond anything I've ever seen, their soul is already one- we have to trust that Magnus knows what he's doing. He's one of the most powerful beings this side of Edom. He'll come back to us. They both will."

His voice trailed off as he subconsciously reached up to where his Parabatai rune lay, faded, on his skin. Their eyes all turned back to Magnus, where he stood between Alec's limp physical form and his dimly glowing soul. The High Warlock's eyes were closed, tears streaming out from beneath his lids, but perfect calm written across his face.

The glade remained unmoving, no one daring hardly even o breathe, until Magnus drew in a shaky breath, his hand dropping limply back to his side as Alec's soul disappeared. Jace turned to look at Izzy, their worried faces a mirror for each other, as Magnus knelt beside Alec, pausing a moment to ghost a touch across his lover's cheek, before standing once more.

Jace watched as Magnus shook himself, a shaky hand wiping away a tear, before he stood and turned back to those who remained in the glade. Jace couldn't be sure, but as he and Magnus made eye contact, he could've sworn he saw Alec's eyes flash across Magnus' features, before the cat eyes were back. They waited, hearts beating in anticipation, until the warlock spoke, his voice shaking, saying,

"I got him. He's still here."


	9. Chapter 9: the Reuniting

Chapter 9:

Jace sighed as he tiredly rose to his feet, peeling the blankets off his long legs and scrubbing a hand across his face, wincing at the week-old stubble growing there. He was exhausted- they all were. In the nine days since they'd brought Alec to Magnus' Chelsea townhouse, the eight of them had worn themselves thin, trying to bring the raven-haired archer back. They'd put themselves on a rotating schedule, with Jace, Magnus, Izzy, and Clary on during the day schedule, and Cat, Simon, and Dot on the night shift. Madzie, of course, did what she wanted, although Catarina had a knowing gleam in her eye when Simon asked what she was up to.

For nine days, Magnus had toiled over his lover, carefully and gently returning his soul to his body, piece by piece. He worked for hours, with Jace keeping watch, until sleep claimed him at Alec's side. Nearly every morning, Jace found the warlock with his head pillowed on his arms, one firm but gentle hand clasped around his brother's pale, un-moving one. During the day, Izzy took care of Alec's medical needs at Magnus' side, monitoring her brother's body to make sure it, and the machines he was attached to, didn't fail. Catarina had summoned what appeared to be the bulk of an emergency room's life support equipment to Magnus' home, and Alec was attached to most of it, keeping his body alive for the moment when he would finally be able to do it for himself. During the nights, Catarina took over for Izzy and kept Magnus' place, making sure that both Alec's body and soul remained where they were.

As the days passed, Alec had begun to look less and less like himself, losing muscle tone and color, his body limp on Magnus' bed, machines keeping him alive. Jace couldn't remember his brother ever looking so small, and that alone was enough to scare him. Catarina had assured them that it was normal, something called muscle atrophy, but sometimes it was all Jace could do to not rush in and try something, anything, to bring his brother back, to help heal whatever was going on inside of him. Jace knew that Magnus was doing everything possible to put Alec back together, but at times he was envious of the Warlock- from what he understood back at the glade, Magnus had Alec caught in his head, he could still feel Alec, his presence, that he was still alive. Jace was less certain, the Parabatai mark on his body dim and lifeless. He'd sworn to be patient with Magnus, they were all in unfamiliar territory, but he just wanted his brother to wake up again.

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Magnus blinked blearily up at the face of his lover. In the quiet of the morning, Alec looked almost peaceful, the sun shining gently on his face as the cardinal sang outside. Magnus could remember so many of these mornings, where he'd reveled in watching Alec's face as he slept, safely tucked into the Shadowhunter's arms. This morning was but a shadow of those memories, and deep in Magnus' soul, he held the fear that those mornings were gone for good, that even if Alec woke up he wouldn't be the same. And Magnus knew that it would be his fault. This was all his fault. He'd reveled in his own self-pity for too long, leaving Alec's needs far behind and leaving the Shadowhunter feeling as though he'd had no other choice but to go to Asmodeus. Magnus scrubbed at his face, his frustration growing as he took in all of the wires, tubes, and leads that were keeping his Alexander alive. Magnus wanted them gone- while they were keeping him here, they also served as a reminder of how spectacularly Magnus had failed the man he loved.

For nine days, Magnus had relied on those machines as he painstakingly returned Alec to his body, piece by piece, like the most difficult puzzle he'd ever attempted, with no picture on the box to guide his process. As Magnus collected each piece of soul from his mind, he opened the gates to his own consciousness and surrounded himself with that piece of Alec, reveling in what he found, and using that knowledge to make sure he returned that piece to its proper place. At first, he'd felt as though he were invading Alec's privacy, sorting through his thoughts, his memories of thoughts- he cringed with Alec at his embarrassment over his feelings about Jace; he laughed with younger Alec at his first attempt to use a bow, back when Alec's father laughed a little more easily, when he'd been a bit more forgiving of his firstborn. At times, Magnus consulted with Jace, trying to better understand the raven-haired man through his relationship with his Parabatai- a bond he could never quite understand as the son of a demon, but one that he'd longed for, once upon a time.

Now, on the tenth day, Magnus felt as though he'd never known what intimacy meant until this moment, and that all love he'd known until now paled in comparison with unconditional regard he felt for his Alexander. He knew all of Alec's innermost thoughts, his desires, his fears, his wants, his dreams- he'd seen Alec's vision of an Alicante where Downworlder and Shadowhunter mingled without apprehension, where he and Magnus could live and grow without constantly defending themselves. He understood Alec's shyness, growing up in a family where he was held in certain esteem as the eldest son, but where he felt constantly dwarfed by the accomplishments of his younger siblings. And yet, Magnus saw how that quiet fortitude translated into his passionate love for his own person, how Alec longed to protect Magnus from the same feelings of ineptitude and shame that he'd lived with for his own short life.

As the previous day had drawn to a close, Magnus had brought into his own consciousness the final piece of Alec's soul. The piece of him that would occupy his core, the inner guiding force that was the purest form of Alexander Gideon Lightwood. Magnus had been hesitant in reaching for this Alexander, had saved it for the end, not wanting to contaminate this Alexander with his own darkness. But even as he hesitated, Magnus was drawn, longing to know what really kept Alexander going, who he really was, hidden beneath the layers of shame, of hope, of passion. So as he sat beside the nearly lifeless figure, on the tenth morning, Magnus opened up the gates of his soul and encountered… Light.

Tears sprang to Magnus' eyes as he felt a bubble of pure euphoria swell out of the depths of his own soul in response to the brightness that was contained within this Shadowhunter. The light was a bright as a thousand stars, but as warm and gentle as the early morning rays that caress like a mother's touch. Magnus gently immersed himself, wondering how so much light could exist in one person. Inside, he'd always known there was a darkness, one that he kept carefully at bay, contained within from the moment he'd killed his stepfather as a child. It's what made him cynical, what kept others at arms lengths, what made him try to right all of the wrongs in the world- for a price. But in this man, there was no darkness at all- light kept him going, an inexplicable lightness of soul that reminded Alec that each day was a new chance at living, that spring days are a breath of fresh air, and that the conclusion of a summer day with the ones you love righted all wrongs. The warlock drew himself further into the depths of Alexander's light and allowed himself to become completely immersed in it, floating in the brightness and letting some of the darkness that Asmodeus had brought be burned away.

After a few moments, Magnus knew it was time. He withdrew from his lover's mind, from the light that filled his center, until Alec's form was once again visible in the warlock's mind. Magnus reached out and grasped the Nephilim's face, gently bringing his forehead to his own. He inhaled deeply, desperately trying to memorize the scent, and every inch of the raven-haired archer.

"I will bring you back, Alexander", he whispered gently. "Whatever this takes, however long, I will be here. You have given me so much; I can at least give you… You. You will see your family, and you will be you, again."

With that promise, Magnus reached into his own soul, into the love he had there for the Nephilim, and gently brought it out, holding the faintly glowing red light between them, it's flickering glow casting itself on the archer's closed eyes. Magnus gently reached out and pressed it into Alec's chest, watching as his soul absorbed the light, briefly sparking brighter, before returning to its previous hazel color.

"Don't forget me, Alexander- this love, I… I've never, ever felt anything like it. You've shown me how to love myself, my dear, and how to live truly in the light. May my love help guide you back to me. To all of us."

Magnus paused, but as always, Alec made no reply, and the lack of response left Magnus wanting. He softly placed a final kiss on the archer's forehead, then withdrew completely, into himself and back to the bedroom of his Chelsea home.

Jace was sitting beside him, waiting. He'd been the one to pull Magnus away from Alec the night before, when his hands had trembled from fatigue. Magnus had protested, knowing that he was so close to reuniting all of Alec, but Jace had continued to pull, the weakened warlock no fight against the blond.

"Do this when you're ready, Magnus," he'd said. "Alec can wait through the night- we all can. He deserves to have you do this right, not when you're exhausted. We'll all be ready in the morning."

And so they were. The remainder of the group waited just outside the bedroom door, anxious. Magnus thought for a moment that he should be embarrassed for his tears, and yet, after experiencing the light that was Alexander, he found he had no room for that emotion. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hands to his temples and began to draw out the final piece of Alec's soul. As it came forth, he cupped it in his hands, once again in awe that he truly knew his Alexander- for how many in love can truly say the same? He stood up and stepped to the bed, sitting again, gently, beside the raven-haired boy. He cast one last look to Alec's slack face before reaching out, his soul in hand, and gently pressing it into his heart.

The final piece of soul leaped out, as if eager to be reunited, and was quickly absorbed by the Shadowhunter's form, lighting a path inside of his body before it settled behind his heart. The soul flashed again, before falling as silent as those waiting in the room. After a moment, Isabelle dared to speak, saying, "is… is that it… Is Alec complete?"

Magnus couldn't bear to take his eyes away from Alexander, lest he miss the archer's first moments back with them, but knew he must. Isabelle was feeling the separation from her brother as much as any of them. "I… I don't know. I've never done anything like this before, Isabelle. I don't know what to expect. I don't even know if I've done this right, if everything is where it should be, if he will come back as…"

He was starting to hyperventilate, before Madzie quickly entered the room, seating herself again his chest, between the warlock and the motionless Nephilim, calming Magnus' outburst with a gentle touch. Magnus tried to slow his breathing, gently pulling the child towards himself, but she struggled out of his grasp. Reaching up, she gently touched his lips, before bringing her hand down- moving around the room, she did the same to them all, except for Catarina and Dot, who smiled brightly at the child, as if in on the secret. Even Simon came under Madzie's touch, for which he looked completely startled. As she completed her rounds, she opened her tiny palm, showing them all the bright spark glowing there. As they looked on, each noticed first one color, then another, in the flame's glow, before she covered it again and turned towards the boy on the bed.

Madzie climbed up next to him and made herself comfortable. Opening her palms, she held the flame in her hands, quietly whispering what no one could hear, before she reached out and gently placed the spark of flame onto Alec's chest, where it quickly raced into his body, to the exact spot they'd seen his soul disappear. As it struck, it sparked, and a hazel light began to race around Alec's body, lighting up the same line that darkness had divided. As it completed its journey, the light flared for a moment, startling everyone, before dimming, until the room returned to normal.

As Madzie stepped off of the bed, Magnus turned to her, puzzled- but before he could ask a question, a quiet inhale left the group astounded. Magnus and Jace leaned over Alec, as Catarina walked quickly to one of the monitors watching over Alec. "He's breathing over the vent," she exclaimed happily, as the others began to smile.

Magnus ran his fingers through his hair, relief spreading through him. Alec had yet to open his eyes, or speak, but he was complete and Magnus felt he could breathe again. He turned to Madzie, a question in his eyes, but she simply smiled, and said "you brought him back together, to one place, but it took all of us to remind him where he belongs".


	10. Chapter 10: the Awakening?

Chapter 10:  
Magnus had felt time's passing as he'd lived through innumerable lifetimes, but nothing had prepared him to endure eternity as he and the others waited for Alec to wake. Their joy had been uncontainable the first day, when Alec had taken his first breath on his own. They had all waited in his room for hours on end, hoping that the first breath would lead to his eyes opening for the first time in days. Jace had parked himself at his Parabatai's side, keeping close watch, hoping to be the first to see his lids flicker. Magnus sat himself opposite of the blond, hoping for the same.

But there had been nothing that first day.

The sun had gone down, with Catarina waking from where she'd been napping on the cot in the corner and ushering them all off to bed. When he and Jace had protested, she'd stared at them suspiciously, then ordered them to shower, change, eat, and then come back. To the rest, except for Dot, she kept her orders the same. Grudgingly, the all complied, and Jace and Magnus returned to find that Catarina had summoned some camping supplies and set up the room with a circle of sleeping bags, chairs, and a micro-fridge, filled, upon Jace's inspection, with all of their favorite snack foods (and some healthy ones, per Dot's insistence).

Magnus looked around in awe and gratitude as Catarina and Dot kept themselves busy at Alec's side, changing out his bedclothes with a snap and summoning a bowl of soapy water and fresh pajamas to the side table. Magnus scurried over and the female warlocks looked up, startled. Jace's head snapped up, immediately on guard.

"I thought it would help if we brought back some human contact," said Catarina defensively. "There are so many therapeutic benefits to touch for patients in a co… For patient's like Alec."

Magnus' heart lurched at what his blue friend left unspoken. His eyes watered briefly, before he gently steeled himself and spoke.

"Let me do it," he said, his unguarded cat eyes pleading. "I believe you, but let me do it. Please. I can't just keep sitting here, I have to do something. Maybe if he hears me, or if my touch is somewhat… familiar…", He blushed briefly, hands gesturing vaguely, "then maybe that'll, I don't know… help", he finished lamely.

Catarina chuckled quietly, before handing the High Warlock of Brooklyn the bowl and cloth. "I was going to suggest this anyway," she said as Magnus began to gently wash his Angel's face, his gaze intent.

Magnus allowed his eyes to briefly glance in her direction, before he returned them to his work, desperately keeping watch in hopes that Alec might move, or shift, or something- but there was nothing.

The warlock gently continued his work as Jace joined him, flipping one of the long-backed dinner chairs around and resting his arms on the back, head dropping down and his blond hair covering his eyes. Neither spoke, but their shared grief was almost a comfort.

As Magnus finished up Alec's head and neck, he moved to strap the tube to the vent back in place but Catarina gently halted his movements with a hand on one shoulder. "What," he asked, concerned, "Am I doing this wrong?"

Catarina laughed, the sound a welcome break to the continual tension in the room. "Not at all," she said, "He just doesn't need it any more. Alec might not show that he's ready to wake up yet, but he is improving. He's been breathing on auxiliary support for sometime now- basically the vent has been assisting him to breathe, instead of breathing for him. We can take it out and replace it with a cannula." She held up a long thin tube. "It won't be pleasant for him, or for us, to remove it, but it is a step he needs to take before he's completely awake."

Magnus nodded, both excited and apprehensive at the thought of Alec improving and breathing beyond the tube. Jace stood and joined the Warlock pair at Alec's bedside, ready to help, but even more eager to see Alec turn a corner. Catarina had Magnus gently sit behind Alec, to prop his chest up for easier removal of the tube. Jace she had on Magnus' side of the bed, gently but firmly holding his Parabatai's shoulders as she herself removed the apparatus. The blue warlock gently removed the straps from around Alec's jaw and ears, allowing the soft Velcro to lie at her patient's side. Alec's head had fallen limply to the side as Magnus has squeezed behind him, so she slowly turned it back to its rightful place, placing her cool hand against the Hunter's sunken cheek.

Catarina squeezed in a shallow breath, taking in the Nephilim's pale, drawn face, her brow pinching as she calculated how far the atrophy had progressed during their time in the Chelsea house. _He's going to have a long recovery_, she thought sadly, running a gentle hand through the boys curls. _But we will all help him. Even Madzie loves this one- rare for the Young One. This will be a turning point- for Alicante, for the DownWorld, for us a_ll.

"Cat," Magnus voice broke into her thoughts, its uncertainty giving her pause enough to come back to reality. "Everything okay? Is it something with Alec?"

Cat smiled sadly, keeping her eyes on Magnus' Nephilim for one moment longer, before allowing her gaze to drift up to the Warlock's own tired yet attentive eyes. "He's fine," she said quickly, "let's get this tube out".

Each of the three readied themselves, Catarina slipping in her blue magic around the vent and down Alexander's throat, gently lifting the tube from any loose esophageal tissue, before wrapping her own slender fingers around its rubbery surface. She nodded at Jace, who quickly turned off the machine at Alec's bedside, before returning his free hand to its grip on his older brother's shoulder. "On the count of three," said Cat softly. The other two nodded, Magnus anxiously gripping his lover's hand with one of his own, his other shoulder supporting the raven-haired man's back./

"One, two, THREE," Cat quickly slipped the tube out of Alec's mouth, forcing a cough from the Archer, the first sound the boy had made in what tallied up to weeks. Alec gave several more coughs before his head dropped weakly to the side, eyes still firmly closed. Magnus snaked his arm further around his lover's shoulders, keeping the boy from tipping any further forward while Cat reached for the tissues at his bedside to catch the small amount of saliva that had slipped out of the corner of his mouth. As she gently wiped the Nephilim's lips, she beckoned Jace to bring her the cannula. "Hold up his head for me," she asked the blond, who quickly complied, bringing Alec's tired countenance up into the light, clearly visible to his family. Magnus quickly placed a chaste kiss on his temple, before Cat slipped the plastic tubes around his ears and settled it below his chin. She reached beside his bed then, plugging the tube into an oxygen supply that she had summoned to the room and turning the flow of air on. At her nod, Jace flipped the monitor back on, its electrical presence once again monitoring the archer's life, such as it was.

"Magnus, you can get up now", she said gently to her fellow Warlock, who hadn't taken his eyes off of his partner since his face was first made visible. "That took a lot out of him, he needs his rest- and so do you."

Magnus hesitated, before nodding quickly and gently surrendering his role as Alec's support back to the bed where the archer had spent his recovery. He gently summoned a few more pillows to the bedside, placing them gently beneath Alexander's shoulders, propping him up higher.

The others watched, Jace with an eyebrow raised at the Warlock's attention. Magnus blushed quickly, giving a gently cough of embarrassment before saying "I thought he'd like to see the room more when he wakes up. He doesn't like to lay flat, he says it's disorienting. Usually he'd wake up beside me, on my arm…" His cheeks colored further, more for his Alexander's sake than his own, "well, that's probably more than Alexander would've wanted you to know, but this is the least I can do. I don't know what else to do," he finished lamely. "I don't know what else to do".

Catarina came to him then, as Jace frowned, keeping his eyes down at the ground to minimize the Warlock's discomfort. "Magnus, you've already done so much," Catarina said gently, "Alec wouldn't want you to feel this way, to feel so guilty. YOU literally put him back together again, which, may I remind you, the King's horses and the King's men couldn't do for Humpty Dumpty," she said, her words prompting a small smile from Magnus, before she continued. "I know you and Alec had your differences, you fought, you ended things badly- but he WILL get better, he will remember you, and he will forgive you. Alexander Gideon Lightwood is an extremely special individual- he'd have to be, to have captured you so deeply, my friend. He loves you so very deeply, and his forgiveness is something to behold. He will forgive you, I truly believe it. You'll have your Alexander again," she finished quietly. "We all will."

Magnus gave several quick, shuddering breaths, before surprising the blue Warlock with a hug. "thank you Cat," he said. "Thank you." Releasing her, he turned back to Alexander's bedside, laying himself out on the other side of the queen-sized bed. He looked up at Catarina, who nodded her permission.

"It will be good for him to wake up to someone he knows," she said with a smile. Cat started to leave the room, Jace quickly on her heels, before she stopped him with a hand. "That goes for you too," she said, tempering her words with a smile. "I didn't magic all of this in here for it to go to waste. Make sure the both of you USE it. Take turns with him, help guide him back to this world, but don't overdo it yourselves. One patient is more than enough at the moment." She gave them both pointed stares, which they returned with wide-eyed, innocent expressions. She rolled her eyes, before gesturing once again to the cozy corner she'd set up earlier. "I'm going to go shower, when I get back, I expect one of you to be over there, putting it all to good use." The two boys nodded their understanding again, before returning their attention to the Nephilim on the bed. "Whatever," she muttered under her breath, before leaving the room to attend to her own needs in Magnus' luxurious master bathroom.

Thirty minutes later she returned to the master bedroom to find both the blond Shadowhunter and the High Warlock of Brooklyn sprawled on each side of Alec's bed, each with a hand on the raven-haired boy's own. She smiled gently, placing a blanket on each of them, without either stirring. "Maybe you'll all sleep better this way anyway. Although I don't envy you, Magnus, the crick you'll have in your neck tomorrow," she said laughingly as she examined his sleeping position. Goodnight, loves".

-MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM-

A few hours later, Magnus woke to a slight touch on his hand. Then another. He lifted his sleepy head, calling Jace softly, his voice blurry with sleep. But before he could call for the blond again, he felt a third touch against his arm. Magnus froze, turning to the boy on the bed, towards the one he'd longed for, while once again calling for his sleeping brother./

"Jace… Jace wake up, it's Alexander!"

Jace muttered sleepily at Magnus' first call, but at the mention of Alec, he sprung to his feet, instantly awake, tucking his long hair quickly back behind his ears.

"Is he waking up," he asked the Warlock, who was intently studying Alec's phase. Jace stepped up closer, taking Alec's left hand again from where it lay limply at his side. "Alec?"

Magnus didn't speak, so intent was he on his lover's face. He felt a fourth tap within his own grasp and leaned further in. "Alec, can you hear me?"

They both waited with anticipation as the archer's eyes fluttered, not daring to open, but grinned when they tried again to force themselves up against gravity. "You can do it," said Jace encouragingly, "Just a little more, come on, let's see those hazel eyes we've all worked so hard for. Just a little…"

His voice cut off with a choke as Alec's eyes didn't just lift, but flew open with a choked gasp, before rolling back up into his head, his back arching with an unnatural rigidity into the sheets, his grip locked around both of his family's. No sound came from the boy, his teeth tightly clenched.

As the boy shuddered on the bed, Jace began to shout, calling for "Catarina, Isabel, anybody!" The room began to fill as the various members in the house ran into the room at Jace's hoarse cry. Catarina forced her way to the front, taking in the scene in front of her.

During it all, Magnus remained still at Alec's side, almost as stiff as the boy himself. His grip tightly clenched in the archer's own, the Warlock couldn't help himself, he couldn't tear his eyes away, as he let out one tiny cry of his own.

"Alexander?"


End file.
